Beau Breedlove, the former legislative intern involved in the Mayor Sam Adams scandal, filed a request for a restraining order Thursday against The Oregonian's Brent Walth.

In January, Walth interviewed Breedlove about his relationship with Adams, as well as exchanging text messages with him during developments that followed. In his petition, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, Breedlove characterized the contacts as threatening, alleging that Walth said he would publish damaging information about Breedlove unless he agreed to an interview.

Breedlove said that Walth's harassment and threats "affect the public's opinion of me and the investigation that is being made by the Oregon Attorney General's office.

"Any suggestion that Brent Walth coerced or threatened Beau Breedlove is absurd," Sandy Rowe, editor of The Oregonian, said. "Mr. Breedlove gave us an on-the-record interview voluntarily. He asked for nothing in exchange for the interview, and the newspaper made him no promises about what it would or would not publish."

The attorney general is investigating whether Adams violated campaign laws, abused his position as a Portland City Commissioner or had a sexual relationship with Breedlove before Breedlove turned 18. He acknowledged in January that he had lied about his relationship with Breedlove, fearing that no one would believe the two did not have sex before Breedlove was of legal age.